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Jed Boal reporting Tens of thousands of American service men and women spent another Thanksgiving in battle zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It's a tough time, for our troops, as well as for their families at home. We talked with one Utah soldier in Iraq, and gave him a chance to chat with his family in Salt Lake.
Major Richard Gordon said goodbye to his family in Hawaii in July and left on his first deployment to Iraq. With other deployments, he's spent most of the past three years away from his family.
Maj. Richard Gordon/Utah Soldier in Iraq: "This is my third thanksgiving away from home. You kinda get used to it, but in a sense, every little bit from home helps."
Major Gordon is the second in command of a 48 Blackhawk helicopter Battalion with 540 soldiers. The Highland High and West Point graduate says his troops help the Iraqi Army with security and assault missions.
Maj. Richard Gordon/Utah Soldier in Iraq: "Anytime you fly it's a little dangerous. Can't help that you have a threat here in Iraq and people that don't want to see us succeed and the government of Iraq succeed. So, that does increase the risk. But, overall you learn to manage that risk, and keep going and doing what you gotta do."
Gordon deployed out of Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii, that's where his wife, Staci, and two girls Ruby and Charlotte are this holiday. Two year old Charlotte was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a year ago. That makes it heavier on the major's heart to be away.
Maj. Richard Gordon/Utah Soldier in Iraq: "She's plugging away. She's got some great medical treatment, and I've got a great wife who does a lot to take care of her, and provide her the love she needs, so it's working out well right now."
Earlier this month, Gordon organized nearly 100 soldiers in a walk to raise five thousand dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In Honolulu, his wife and children walked and raised nearly 10-thousand dollars that same day.
The major's father, grandmother and sister joked and chatted with him in the studio. Maj. Gordon's father, Stan Gordon, served as a soldier 38 years and was Deputy Adjutant General for the State of Utah.
Maj. Richard Gordon/Utah Soldier in Iraq: "This is my world, and those questions are like this. I'm focused on the day to day. Most of the soldiers here are focused on the day to day, and doing the mission and being safe, and protecting their buddies. We don't have a lot of time to think about, hey, what's the political ramifications of this. We want to get the mission done, help the people of Iraq and go back home."
Major Gordaon misses being with his wife, and misses his daughters' birthdays, but he's grateful to serve and grateful for support at home.
